1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a trailer apparatus, and more particularly to a trailer which is specially adapted for transporting automobiles and which is convertible for the transportation of other types of products or cargoes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of trailers have been proposed in the prior art for the transportation of various goods. Some of these trailers have been specifically suited for carrying certain types of goods. A prime example of those types of trailers dedicated to a particular purpose are the trailers designed for the transportation of automobiles and other types of vehicles. Such trailers typically comprise a framework supported on a base and carrying several tracks over which the cars may be moved to place them on the trailer and remove them from the trailer. Such trailers typically have been relatively open and have included tracks which are rigidly fixed in the position for transporting automobiles. In certain types of these trailers, low sidewalls have been included to provide protection for the automobiles being carried. Examples of trailers falling under this description are contained in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,695,810, issued to Demos on Nov. 30, 1954; U.S. Pat. No. 2,667,377 issued to Stuart on Jan. 26, 1954; U.S. Pat. No. 2,654,612, issued to Francis on Oct. 6, 1953; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,583,734, issued to Francis on Jan. 29, 1952.
These prior art trailers for transporting automobiles have been well suited for that purpose, but have not been appropriate for the transportation of other types of cargoes. Consequently, the utility of such trailers is limited, and there is a particular problem in that after the vehicles have been delivered to the destination, the trailer must "dead head," or in other words travel unloaded, back to the origin. Because of this fact, the use of such traliers is quite inefficient, and also the trailers are totally useless when automobiles are not intended to be transported.
A further problem with trailers designed for carrying vehicles has been the difficulty with which the vehicles are loaded into the trailer. For specially designed trailers adapted for vehicle transportation exclusively, this has not been a particular problem because the trailer includes several tracks which direct the vehicles to different carrying positions. However, the present invention provides a trailer which is readily adaptable for carrying not only vehicles, but other types of cargo, and for carrying such within an enclosed body. It is difficult to provide a trailer which permits ready loading of these two types of cargo.
Various other types of trailers have been proposed in the prior art for carrying cargoes. The typical trailer is a closed box having a pair of doors at the rear end for receiving cargo. Alternately, the doors may be placed at other locations, or the trailer may have partial openings to facilitate loading and unloading of cargo.
By contrast to the prior art, the present invention provides an enclosed trailer which is readily adapted for transporting other types of goods besides automobiles. As a result, the present invention has the advantage that the trailer does not have to "dead head" back to its origin since it can quickly be converted to carrying other types of goods along that route. Also, the trailer need not lay idle while automobiles are not needed to be transported, since it can be used for other purposes and thus employed more frequently and more efficiently.
At least a few devices have been proposed which would carry vehicles in an enclosed body. Examples of such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,994,695, issued to Dolan et al. on Mar. 19, 1935; U.S. Pat. No. 2,432,228, issued to De Lano on Dec. 9, 1947; U.S. Pat. No. 2,461,927, issued to Schaldach et al. on Feb. 15, 1949; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,523,723, issued to Santee et al. on Sept. 26, 1950. Other references relating to storage or transportation of vehicles include U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,247,553, issued to Lindquist et al. on Nov. 20, 1917; U.S. Pat. No. 1,324,105, issued to Daly on Dec. 9, 1919; U.S. Pat. No. 1,809,557, issued to Lishon on June 9, 1931; U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,258, issued to Forsyth et al. on Jan. 20, 1976; U.S. Pat. No. 2,797,960, issued to Endres et al. on July 2, 1957; U.S. Pat. No. 1,254,920, issued to Mathias on Jan. 29, 1918; U.S. Pat. No. 2,998,102, issued to Deverich on Aug. 29, 1961; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,782,076, issued to Miller on Feb. 19, 1957.